Erodium.] XIII. GERANIACEAE. 81 



CHATHAM Islands. H. H. Travers I Nov., Dec. 



A beautiful plant, with larger flowers than any other New Zealand species. 



* G. moUe, L., Sp. PL 682. Annual or perennial. Stems procumbent or 

 ascending, 6in.-12in. long, more or less pilose, slender or rather stout. Leaves on 

 long petioles, orbicular, 5-9-lobed; segments partite, lobed or obtusely toothed. 

 Peduncles 2-flo'wered, axillary; bracts membranous, usually small. Sepals oblong or 

 oblong-lanceolate, mucronate. Petals shortly exceeding the sepals, reddish or white, 

 2-fid ; claw very short, hairy. Carpels transversely wrinkled or nearly smooth, 

 glabrous.— Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. i. 40, and Handbk. 37. 



NOETH and SOUTH Islands; STBWABT Island; CHATHAM Islands: abundantly 

 naturalised. Common in lowland situations. Dec, Jan. 



Some of the carpels are quite as much wrinkled as in European specimens, while others are 

 perfectly smooth ; but all intermediate grades may be found. Nov. to Jan. Europe, North Africa, 

 West Asia. This was first observed by Dr. Lyall and Mr. Coleuso. 



* G. Robertianum, L., Sp. PL 681. Annual or rarely perennial. Stems 

 branched, spreading, reddish, 6in.-15in. long, sparsely clothed with spreading hairs. 

 Leaves on long petioles, 3- or rarely 5-foliolate ; leaflets petiolulate, 2-pinnatifid ; 

 segments lobed. Flowers in pairs on long axillary peduncles. Pedicels divergent. 

 Sepals with long awns, deeply furrowed, hairy. Petals with the blade equalling the 

 glabrous claw, red. Carpels more or less wrinkled, hairy or glabrous. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands : naturalised in cool, damp situations, but rather local. Abun- 

 dant about Wellington. Herb-Robert. Dec, Jan. Europe, North Africa, South Africa, Siberia, 

 West Asia. 



* ERODIUM, L'Herit. 



Sepals 6, imbricate. Petals 5, rarely 3 by suppression, hypogynous. Stamens 

 monadelphous, 5 fertile with glands at their base, 6 reduced to staminodes. Carpels 

 with 2 apical pits, the long beaks spirally twisted and bearded on the inner surface. 

 Herbs, with more or less pubescent leaves and membranous stipules. Flowers soli- 

 tary or in umbels on naked axillary peduncles. 



Leaves entire or lobed, usually cordate .. .. .. .. .. * E. malachoides. 



Leaves pinnate. Apical pits glandular . . . . . . . . . . * E. moschatum. 



Leaves pinnate or 2-pinaat6. Apical pits glandular . . . . . . . . * E. cicutarmm. 



*E. malachoides, Willd., Phyt. 10. Stems suberect, spreading or prostrate, 

 3in.-18in. high. Whole plant glandular-pubescent. Leaves petiolate, ovate or 

 broadly ovate, usually cordate, obtuse, entirely or deeply lobed or coarsely serrate ; 

 blade |in.-2in. long. Peduncles long or short ; umbels 3-7-flowered. Sepals 

 strongly awned, 3-5-nerved, with membranous margins. Filaments all glabrous, 

 very slightly coherent at base. Carpels with spreading hairs. Apical pits glandular, 

 with deep furrow beneath. In dry seasons the leaves are small, narrow-ovate, 

 and rounded at the base. 



NOBTH Island : naturalised, Bay of Islands and Wellington. Oct. to April. South Europe, 

 North Africa, &o. 



*E. moschatum, L'Herit. ex Ait. Hort. Kew. ed. 1, ii. 414. Stems 6in.-24in. 

 high, stout, glabrate or clothed with spreading hairs. Leaves 6in.-9in. long, pin- 

 nate; leaflets sessile, unequally ovate, obtuse; margins inciso- serrate. Stipules 

 ovate. Umbels on long many-flowered peduncles. Filaments of perfect stamens 

 toothed at the base. Carpels hairy ; apical pit glandular, with a concentric furrow 

 beneath. Often diffusing a musky odour when bruised. 



NOBTH and SOUTH Islands: naturalised in many places, but rather looal. Musky stork's- 

 bill. Oct. to Feb. Europe, North Africa, Wesc Asia. 

 11 



